Stitchdown heel flanging machines



y 12, 1964 P. L. STAPLETON 3,132,362

I STITCHDOWN HEEL FLANGING MACHINES Filed Feb. 19, 1963 I n ven tor Peter L. JZapZefion .55 his Attorney United States Patent M STITCHDOWN I-EEL FLANGING MACHINES Peter L. Stapleton, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 259,579 Claims priority, application Great Britain Mar. 2, 1962 13 Claims. (Cl. 12-543) This invention relates to machines for forming end portions of shoe uppers and is herein illustrated in its application to machines for shaping the back parts of stitchdown shoes. Machines of this type are shown for example in United States Letters Patent No. 2,379,425, granted July 3, 1945 on an application filed in the name of Ren Duplessis, and in United States Letters Patent No. 2,983,935, granted May 16, 1961 on an application filed in the name of Derrick T. Carr. While the invention is herein illustrated in its application to machines for shaping the back parts of stitchdown shoes, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to machines of this type but in certain aspects thereof is applicable to upper shaping machines generally.

The patent to Carr above referred to discloses an upper shaping machine having a composite inner form comprising two members, one of which is remote from an end portion of a shoe upper mounted on the form while the other, which is a heated member, is movable relatively to the first member lengthwise of the upper to tension and mold said end portion of the upper. Also provided in the machine illustrated in the Carr patent are clamping members for clamping opposite side portions of the upper against said first mold member in order that the heated mold member may be effective to tension the upper by lengthwise movement thereof relatively to said first mold member.

It is an object of the present invention to improve machines of the type disclosed in the Carr patent to facilitate and expedite the presentation of a shoe upper to the machine and its removal therefrom, and to provide for a more precise and accurate positioning of a shoe upper heightwise thereof on the shoe form. It is a still further object of the invention to provide for movement of the clamping means with the shoe form during movement of the form lengthwise of the upper by the operating instrumentalities of the machine thus to obviate possible abrasion of the upper by' the clamping members.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a shoe machine having means, herein illustnated as flange formers, for providing a sole attaching flange in the upper, the flange formers being mounted on a first carrier which advances the formers into operating position. The upper is mounted on a shoe form constructed and arranged to receive an end portion of the upper, and is clamped against the shoe form by suitable clamping members mounted on 'a second carrier for translatory movement between an operative position and an inoperative position in which the clamping members are located so as to facilitate the mounting of the upper on the shoe form. The clamping members are operated by means, herein illustrated as a piston and cylinder assembly, mounted on the second carrier. In its application to a machine having a composite shoe form of the type disclosed in the patent to Carr hereinbefore referred to, the present invention contemplates the provision in a machine having a carrier movable between an operative position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, of a clamping means constructed and arranged to clamp ashoe upper against one member only of a composite shoe form leaving the other member free to move lengthwise of the upper thereby to tension and shape an end portion thereof. 'In accordinner shoe form is mounted on a carrier which moves.

to transfer the inner form between an operative position and a rest position in which the form is conveniently located for the mounting of a shoe upper thereon. For transferring the shoe form carrier from its restposition to its operative position the carrier on which the clamping means is mounted is provided with means constructed and arranged to engage the shoe form and to advance it into its operative position. In accordance with a further feature of the invention, means herein illustrated as an abutment member is mounted on the shoe form and arranged to cause movement of the clamp carrier in unison with movement of the shoe form lengthwise of the upper in the course of the power cycle of the machine.

This obviates any abrasion of the upper by rel-ativemove" ment of the upper and of the clamping members during the power cycle. In order to determine the position of the upper heightwise of the shoe form there is provided, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, a depressor mounted on the clamp carrier and arranged to engage a shoe upper on the form during movement of the carrier into its operative position thereby to move the upper downwardly into a predetermined position heightwise of the shoe form. The illustrated depressor is constructed and arranged to embrace one member of a composite shoe form and to engage the top edge of a shoe upper mounted thereon. s

These and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims. 1

The drawing is a right side elevation partly in section of a portion of the head of a machine embodying the present invention.

ll he invention is illustrated in the drawing as embodied in a machine of the type illustrated, for example, in the patent to Carr hereinbefore referred to. Machines of this type are provided with two members providing a composite inner heel form for mounting a shoe upper,

said members being relatively movable lengthwise of the upper 'to tension and shape its heel end. portion. Ma-

shoe upper is a pair of flange formers 18- removably secured to a pair of carriers 20. The construction and operation of the flange forming members is fully described in the Carr patent above referred to.

i For supporting and shaping the heel end portion of a shoe upper the illustrated machine is provided with an inner heel form comprising a forward member 22 made of a material of relatively low heat conductivity, and a rear member 24 made of a materialof relatively-high conductivity, said members together providing a composite form defining the general shape of the heel end portion of a shoe.

in said member. The forward member 22 is removably mounted on a cylindrical. head (not shown) formed in a carrier, herein illustrated as a casting 28, the axis of said cylindrical portion extending longitudinally of the member 22. The forward member 22 has secured to its bottom surface a plate 30 defining the peripheral contour of the heel end portion of a shoe upper, said plate extending rearwardly beneath the member 24 and providing an abut- Patented Ma iz, 1964;

The rear member 24 is heated by an electrical l heating element 26 mounted in a suitable socket provided ment against which the plates 16 press the upper during the flange forming operation. Extending forwardly from the forward member 22 is a pair of parallel rods 38, the forward end portions of which are secured in a cross shaft 40 which extends in opposite directions through the heads of two eye bolts, one of which is illustrated in the drawing and identified by the numeral 42. The eye bolt extends through an aperture in an upwardly extending arm 44 of a bifurcated bracket 46 secured to a forward end portion 48 of the casting 28. Each eye bolt is provided with a nut 50 which is turned in order to draw the rods 38 forwardly thereby to seat the base of a socket formed in the member 22 against the rear face of the cylindrical portion of the casting 28 whereon the member 22 is mounted.

To provide for vertical swinging movement of the casting 28 its forward portion 48 has mounted therein a cross pin 52 which extends in opposite directions from the casting into slots 54 formed in upwardly extending portions of a yoke 56 secured to a plate 58 which in turn is secured to the head casting 10. The casting 28 together with the parts mounted thereon are urged rearwardly by springs 60 thus seating the cross pin 52 at the rear end of the slot 54 when the machine is at rest. In the operation of the machine the heel form assembly including the casting 28 is movable forwardly against the tension of the springs 60 to the extent permitted by the length of the slots 54. The springs 60 are connected at their forward ends to hooks projecting downwardly from the casting 28 and at the rear ends to the cross portion of a U-shaped rod 62, the forward end portions of which are secured in diametrical bores in a cross pin 64 freely rotatable in bores in the yoke 56.

The casting 28 carries a piston and cylinder means which operates to impart rearward movement to the upper shaping member 24 in the operation of the machine. The piston is an inverted structure including a rod 66 slidably mounted in a bore in a boss 68 axially located in a cylindrical cap 70 secured to an intermediate section 72 of the casting 28. The head 74 of the piston is arranged in contiguous relation to a diaphragm 76, the outwardly extending margin of which is clamped between the casting and an outwardly extending flange 78 formed in the cap. The piston operates in a cylindrical recess formed in the casting. Upward movement is imparted to the piston by pressure fluid flowing into the cylindrical recess through a suitable port 80 formed in the casting, and return downward movement of the piston is effected by the expansion of a spring 82 surrounding the boss 68 and arranged to bear against the head of the piston. Upward movement of the piston causes the rounded upper end portion of the piston rod 66 to act against the forward end portion of a bell crank lever 84 pivotally mounted on a cross pin 86 fixed in upstanding ears formed in the casting. At its rear end portion the bell crank lever 84 carries a roll 88 which bears against a head plate 90 secured to the forward portion of a hollow rod 92 slidably mounted in a bore 94 extending axially through the cylindrical portion of the casting 28 and into a bore 96 in the upper shaping member 24. The hollow rod carries electrical connections for the heating element 26 in the member 24. Upward movement of the piston 74 causes the hollow rod 92 to move the member 24 rearwardly to shape the rear end of the heel portion of a shoe upper in the machine.

During the rearward movement of the member 24, op posite sides of the heel portion of a shoe upper in the machine are clamped against the forward member 22 by mechanism now to be described. Extending upwardly from the rear portion of the head casting is a pair of ears 100 which mount a cross pin 102. The cross pin extends through a longitudinal slot 104 in the rear end portion of a carrier herein illustrated as an arm 106 which has secured to its forward end a U-shaped member 108. Slidably mounted in a bore extending through the arm 106 and the member 108 is an abutment pin 36 which is normally held at the limit of its downward movement as shown in the drawing by a spring 110 surrounding the lower portion of the pin and confined between the member 108 and a collar 112 secured to the pin. The limit of downward movement of the pin is determined by a nut 114 mounted on the upper portion of the pin. During forward movement of the member 22 an abutment 34 formed in a plate 32 secured to the member 22 acts on the pin 36 thereby to cause the clamping assembly to move forwardly in unisosn with said member 22. Slidably mounted between the parallel arms of the U-shaped member 108 is a cross head 116 which has fulcrumed at opposite ends thereof two levers 118, each of which carries a rubber faced clamping member 120 constructed and arranged to clamp the upper against the member 22. Inasmuch as the clamping members 120 and the member 22 move forwardly in unison there can be no movement of the clamping members relatively to the member 22 and hence no rubbing action of the clamping members against the upper. For actuating the clamping members 120 a piston and cylinder assembly 122 is mounted between the upper end portions of the levers 118. The organization of the assembly is such that pressure fluid operation of the piston therein advances the clamps 120 into clamping engagement with the upper, and the operation of a spring incorporated in the assembly releases the clamps and causes their retraction to an inoperative position.

For adjusting the position of the clamping members 120 lengthwise of a shoe upper in the machine, an adjusting screw 124 is rotatably mounted in the cross portion of the U-shaped member 108 and is threaded into a tapped hole in the cross head 116, the rear end portion of the screw having a pilot which is journaled in the forward end portion of the arm 106.

For determining the position of the heel portion of a shoe upper heightwise thereof relatively to the rear form 24 a depressor or gage member 126 is constructed and arranged for embracing engagement with the rear portion of the member 24. The gage member is secured to the lower ends of spaced arms 128. The arms 128 are provided with longitudinal slots 130 which receive opposite end portions of a cross pin 132 carred by the arm 106. The gage member 126 is adjusted heightwise of the member 24 by turning a thumb screw 134 which is mounted to rotate in a cross head 136 secured to the upper end portions of the arms 128, a collar 138 being secured to the upper portion of the screw and arranged to engage the bottom of the cross head to hold the screw against endwise movement in the cross head. The screw 134 extends downwardly through clearance holes in the arm 106 and has threaded engagement in a diametrical tapped hole in the cross pin 132. It will be seen that turning movement of the screw effects adjustment of the gage member 126 heightwise of the member 24. For adjusting the gage member lengthwise of a shoe upper in the machine, a thumb screw 140 is threaded into a tapped bore in a lug 142 projecting upwardly from the upper arm of the U- shaped member 108. The screw 140 bears against an angular downward extension 144 of the cross head 136 and a spring 146 serves to hold the extension against the end of the screw. The spring is anchored at one end to 0am of the arms 128 and at the opposite end to the arm 1 6.

In their inoperative position the arm 106 and the parts mounted thereon are arranged as shown in broken lines in the drawings, a suitable spring 148 being provided for holding the assembly alternatively in its inoperative position shown in broken lines or in its operative position shown in full lines. The spring is anchored at one end to the arm 106 and at its opposite end to the head casting 10. It will be seen that during movement of the assembly from one position to the other the spring moves through a dead center position thus enabling the tension of the spring to hold the assembly in either of its two positions. When the arm 106 is in its full line position shown in the drawing the spring 148,urges the arm rearwardly into a longitudinal position determined by the engagement of the pin 36 with the abutment 34.

Before starting the machine the arm 106 is elevated into its inoperative position to provide clearance for the mounting of a shoe upper on the members 22 and 24 comprising the heel form. Further to facilitate the mounting of the upper on the heel form members the casting 28 is initially swung counterclockwise about the cross pin 52 by the action of a spring pressed plunger 150 mounted in the plate 58 and arranged to engage the bottom of the casting. Having mounted the heel portion of a shoe upper upon the inner form members, the operator swings the arm 106 downwardly. During such downward movement the pin 36 engages the abutment 34 and urges the casting 28 and the inner form members mounted thereon downwardly into an operative position determined by the engagement of the bottom of the casting with a stop screw 152 mounted in the plate 58. During the downward movement of the arm 106 the gage member 126 engages the top line of the upper and depresses the heel end portion of the upper to a predetermined position heightwise of the inner form member 24. During the ensuing operation of the machine the pin 36, by its engagement with the abutment member 34, prevents movement of the clamping members 120 relatively to the upper.

After the inner form members and the upper have been arranged as above described, the operator places the toe portion of the upper upon a bridge member 154 adjustably mounted on the rods 38 and holds the upper in that position.

The operator now depresses a treadle (not shown) to advance the plates 16 into upper embracing position. Continued depression of the treadle after the advancement of the plates 16 initiates the power cycle of the machine and alsooperates a valve whereby the cylinder in the assembly 122 is pressurized in order to cause the clamping members 120 to clamp opposite sides of the heel portion of the upper against the forward member 22 of the heel form assembly. During the power cycle the plates 16 are further advanced and the inner form members together with the clamping assembly yield forwardly under the action of the plates. Concomitantly with the advancement of the plates 16 the flange forming members 18 move outwardly to effect an outward flanging of the bottom margin of the upper about the plates 16. The flange forming members are then pressed upwardly to form the outwardly flanged margin of the upper against the plates 16.

During the power cycle of the machine a valve is opened to cause the flow of pressure fluid through the port 80, thus actuating the piston 74 thereby to urge the rear member 24 of the inner form rearwardly in order to shape the extremity of the heel portion of the upper. The machine then comes to rest with the flange forming members 18 in pressing engagement with the outwardly flanged margin of the heel portion of the upper. After a suitable time has elapsed, the operator depresses the treadle to cause the completion of the power cycle during which the flange forming members are retracted to their inoperative position. The arm 106 together with the clamping assembly is then manually swung upwardly into its broken line position illustrated in the drawing and the casting 28 is swung upwardly by the operation of the plunger 150 to elevate the inner form members 22 and 24 into their rest position thereby to facilitate the removal of the upper from the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with a shoe form, means for forming a shoe upper thereof and a first carrier for the forming means, of means for clamping a shoe upper against the form, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said second carrier being movable relatively to the shoe form between an operative position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, and ambulatory means mounted on the second carrier and operable when the second carrier is in said operative position to actuate the clamping means thereby to clamp the upper against the form.

2. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with an inner shoe form of means for clamping a shoe upper against the form, a carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said carrier being movable between an operative position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, means mounted on the carrier and operable when the carrier is in said operative position to actuate the clamping means thereby to clamp the upper against the form, and means mounted on the carrier and constructed and arranged to engage the form thereby to determine said operative position of the carrier.

- 3. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with a composite shoe form comprising a first member remote from an end portion of a shoe upper thereon and a second member movable relatively to the first member lengthwise of the upper, means for forming a shoe upper on the composite shoe form, and a first carrier for the forming means, of means for clamping the upper against the first member only, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said second carrier being movable relatively to the shoe form between an operative position and an inoperative posi-' tion of the clamping means, and means mounted on the second carrier and operable when the second carrier is in its operative position to actuate the clamping means thereby to clamp the upper against the first member.

i 4. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with a composite inner shoe form comprising a first member remote from an end portion of a shoe upper thereon and a second member movable relatively to the first member lengthwise of the upper, of meanslfor clamping the upper against the first member only, a carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said carrier being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position of the clamping means, means mounted on the carrier and operable when the carrier is in its operative position to actuate the clamping means thereby to clamp the upper against the first member, and means mounted on the carrier and constructed and arranged to engage the first member thereby to determine the operative position of the carrier relatively to the first member.

5. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with upper shaping instrumentalities and an inner shoe form, of means for clamping the upper against the form, a first carrier on which the form is mounted for movement between an operative position and a rest position, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted for movement between an operative position and an inoperative position, means for determining the operative position of the first carrier, and means mounted on the second carrier and arranged to engage the form thereby to determine the operative position of the second carrier.

6. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with upper shaping instrumentalities and an inner shoe form, of a carrier for the form, means mounting the carrier for movement lengthwise of the upper, means for clamping the upper against the form, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted for movement between an operative position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, and means whereby the movement of the form lengthwise of the upper is imparted to the second carrier when the second carrier is in its operative position.

7. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with upper shaping instrumentalities and a composite inner shoe form comprising a first member remote from an end portion of a shoe upper thereon, and a second member movable lengthwise of the upper relatively to the first member to tension and shape said end portion of the upper, of a first carrier on which the form is mounted, means mounting the carrier for movement lengthwise of the upper, means for clamping the upper against said first member, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted for movement between an operaitve position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, means mounted on the first carrier and constructed and arranged to move the second member lengthwise of the upper relatively to the first member thereby to tension and shape said end portion of the upper, and means whereby movement of the form by the upper shaping instrumentalities lengthwise of the upper is imparted to the second carrier when it is in said operative position.

8. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with upper shaping instrumentalities and an inner shoe form, of a first carrier for the form, means mounting the carrier for movement lengthwise of the upper, means for clamping the upper against the form, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted for movement between an operative position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, a member fixed to the second carrier, and means mounted on the form and arranged for engagement with said member when the clamping means is in its operative position whereby movement of the form lengthwise of the upper is imparted to the second carrier.

9. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with upper shaping instrumentalities and an inner shoe form, of a first carrier for the form, means mounting the carrier for movement heightwise of a shoe upper on the form between an elevated rest position and a depressed position, means for elevating the form into its rest position, and means for depressing the form.

10. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with upper shaping instrumentali ties and an inner shoe form, of a first carrier on which the form is mounted, means for clamping a shoe upper against the form, a second carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, means for elevating the first carrier thereby to transfer the form to an elevated rest position, and means on the second carrier for transferring the form from its rest position to a predetermined depressed position.

11. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with a shoe form, of means for clamping the upper against the form, a carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said carrier being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position of the clamping means, and a depressor mounted on the carrier and arranged to engage a shoe upper on the form during movement of the carrier into its operative position thereby to move the upper downwardly into a predetermined position heightwise of the shoe form.

12. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with a shoe form comprising a first member remote from an end portion of a shoe upper thereon and a second member movable relatively to the first member lengthwise of the upper, of means for clamping the upper against the first member, a carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said carrier being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position of the clamping means, and a depressor mounted on the carrier and constructed and arranged to embrace said second member and to engage the top edge of a shoe upper mounted on the form, said depressor being operable by movement of the carrier into its operative position to move the shoe upper downwardly into a predetermined position heighwise thereof relatively to the shoe form.

13. In a machine for shaping end portions of shoe uppers, the combination with a shoe form of means for clamping a shoe upper against the form, a carrier on which the clamping means is mounted, said carrier being movable between an operative position of the clamping means and an inoperative position thereof, means mounted on the carrier and operable when the carrier is in said operative position to actuate the clamping means thereby to clamp the upper against the form, and means for adjusting the clamping means relatively to the carrier lengthwise of a shoe upper in the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,983,935 Carr May 16, 1961 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR SHAPING END PORTIONS OF SHOE UPPERS, THE COMBINATION WITH A SHOE FORM, MEANS FOR FORMING A SHOE UPPER THEREOF AND A FIRST CARRIER FOR THE FORMING MEANS, OF MEANS FOR CLAMPING A SHOE UPPER AGAINST THE FORM, A SECOND CARRIER ON WHICH THE CLAMPING MEANS IS MOUNTED, SAID SECOND CARRIER BEING MOVABLE RELATIVELY TO THE SHOE FORM BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE POSITION OF THE CLAMPING MEANS AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION THEREOF, AND AMBULATORY MEANS MOUNTED ON THE SECOND CARRIER AND OPERABLE WHEN THE SECOND CARRIER IS IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION TO ACTUATE THE CLAMPING MEANS THEREBY TO CLAMP THE UPPER AGAINST THE FORM. 